SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Keeping utility costs down during summer months can be difficult, but there are simple changes you can do around the house to save money on your electric bill.
San Diego Gas & Electric Communications Manager Alex Welling walked through a home to identify areas where you might not realize you could be saving money.
Blackout curtains
One of the first things Welling pointed to was window treatments.
"So it looks like we do have some great pull-down drapes, but we do have the hangers for actual drapes so you could do blackout curtains, really block the light. You're gonna be able to cool down your home, and you're not going to have to use your AC as often," Welling said.
Blackout curtains cost about $10 to $40 per panel.
Switch to LED bulbs
Changing your light bulbs to LED can save you hundreds in energy costs. According to the Department of Energy, lighting accounts for about 15 percent of an average home's electricity use. Switching to LED can save a family about $225 in energy costs per year.
LED light bulbs cost anywhere from just over $1 to more than $100, depending on the type, brightness, and features.
Going out of town
If you are heading out of town, a couple of changes can help you save.
First, adjust your water heater settings to reflect that no one will be home.
"There are settings on there where you could set it to either vacation mode or just the pilot light is on, so you're not burning all that energy trying to keep water hot when you're not using it," Welling said.
Energy vampires
Unplugging devices while you are out of town is another way to cut costs. Welling calls them "energy vampires."
"So being able to unplug your air fresheners, unplugging your microwave, unplugging phone chargers, anything that has a little adapter on it is going to use electricity when it's plugged in," Welling said.
To see how much electricity you could save by unplugging, visit SDG&E's website and look for the Vampire Energy Calculator, which shows how much money you will save for each unplugged item. For example, unplugging your microwave can save you $22 per year, and your printer $38 per year.
Energy Management | San Diego Gas & Electric
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